Top stories: Mikayla Nogueira's rise, new owner at Dillon's and a GNB-Voc success story
As we head into the weekend, let's take a look at the news from this past week.
Two local New Bedford businesses were credited with helping with NASA's Artemis I project, which will be the first in a series of space missions that will enable human exploration to the moon and Mars. New Bedford's Fiber Optic Center and AMETEK Aegis are listed on the NASA website for providing help with the project.
The New Bedford Whaling National Historical Park recently honored Judy Roderiques for 24 years of dedication and volunteer service. Roderiques, a retired Dartmouth Middle school special education teacher who began volunteering for the park in 1998, received the George and Helen Hartzog Enduring Service Award.
High school sports are underway with scores, game highlights, and player of the week voting at https://www.southcoasttoday.com/sports.
Then there are the most read stories of the week on https://www.southcoasttoday.com:
Mikayla Nogueira: From TikTok to every Sephora
The Freetown makeup artist, Mikayla Nogueira, launched on TikTok two years ago. Never did she imagine she would have 13 million followers, premiere two palette kits and be the face that greets customers in Sephora stores across the country.
Since The Standard-Times last checked in with Nogueira, she got engaged, bought a house, released a line of sunglasses with Dime Optics, hosted a live makeup lesson with L'Oreal in Los Angeles, created a Glow Recipe kit in Sephora, and met Rihanna and Selena Gomez.
Nogueira may have moved to Boston but, "New Bedford will always just be home for me, a special place that I will forever love," she said, adding that she has no plans to move to New York or Los Angeles. "My whole life is here," she added.
Nogueira: The Freetown makeup artist launched on TikTok two years ago. Now she's in every Sephora.
TikTok: How SouthCoast native Mikayla Nogueira became a viral makeup tutorial star
Dillon's Restaurant changes ownership
Upon celebrating its 30th anniversary, Dillon's Restaurant announced on Sept. 5 it was changing ownership to Melissa Cormier, a longtime fan and cook with a long history in the SouthCoast breakfast and lunch world.
Cormier said the Dillon's name will remain the same as well as its main menu. However, the biggest change will start on Sept. 24, when the restaurant will open on weekends.
"It will still be the same family atmosphere that it is, with the same great food," she said, adding that they will still be closed on Tuesdays. "I love to do specialty breakfasts. My plan is to incorporate my flair on different breakfasts like blueberry cobbler, French toast, seasonal pancakes ... Just a little extra option that people probably haven't seen in a while."
Cormier: 'I want people to know it's in good hands': Dillon's Restaurant changes ownership
What's Orgelio 'Jay' Soares up to now?
By the time Orgelio "Jay" Soares graduated from Greater New Bedford Regional Vocational Technical High School in 2017, he had earned himself a reputation as a star student with an interesting background and a drive to succeed that people noticed.
His story is one that includes a globetrotting childhood living in the Central African country of Zambia where he was born and moving to South Africa, Cape Verde, Congo, and back to Cape Verde before arriving in New Bedford.
Now at age 24, Soares has already bought and sold his first home and is in the market for his next, as he continues to climb the ranks at Covanta's SEMASS facility in Wareham where he works as an auxiliary operator.
Hard work: What's Orgelio 'Jay' Soares up to now?
Soares: ‘This kid's the real deal’
Why yhe New Bedford-Taunton football game was cut short
Several disturbances in the audience cut short the New Bedford High School Whalers' opening night football game vs. the Taunton High Tigers Friday night after police were called to Paul Walsh Field.
Arthur P. Motta Jr., New Bedford Public Schools Community & Public Affairs manager, said the information he had received indicated that an argument between two people drew in others. The football teams were not involved.
He also noted that no arrests were made, and no firearms were found after a thorough sweep and search of the perimeter by police.
Taunton was leading 33-7, and, as the game was eventually called, that became the final score.
Friday Night Lights: The New Bedford-Taunton football game was cut short — what we know about the disturbances
Retirement Board won't reconsider Coderre's retirement
The Retirement Board has denied a city request to reconsider former Deputy Fire Chief Paul Coderre Jr.'s retirement, though he was fired for allegedly moving a heavy smoker grill from the back of his truck while on injury leave.
According to evidence provided in a June hearing, Coderre had been acting chief since December 2018 when he went out after being injured on duty on April 3, 2019.
He had received over $208,574 in benefit pay over approximately two years but was fired by the city on Jan. 25 following a disciplinary hearing in which just cause was found for the termination.
According to surveillance videos through the city's insurer, Guardian Claims Services, taken on June 10, June 15, and Aug. 30, 2021, Coderre was seen moving the grill in his truck.
Coderre's appeal of his termination before the Civil Service Commission is still pending, as is his accidental disability retirement application before the city Retirement Board, according to the hearing report.
Coderre: Was it benefit fraud? Why this board will not reconsider ex-deputy chief's retirement
New Bedford deputy fire chief: Coderre terminated following videos questioning his out-injured status
All of these stories can be found in their entirety at SouthCoastToday.com.
This article originally appeared on Standard-Times: Top stories: Mikayla Nogueira, Dillon's ownership, football brawl
